This Week in Digital Media

In a recent study of online media listenership, eMarketing determined that 37.5% of US internet users ages 12 and older will listen to online content at a weekly basis this year.  These numbers rose to 44.7% when calculated on a monthly basis.  While much of this is attributed to the growing number of consumers with smartphones and data plans, there is evidence that music listeners are turning to online broadcasts to satisfy their listening needs.  Showing steady growth in listenership, eMarketing estimates that by 2015 as many as 68% of internet users will be tuned in to an online broadcast of some kind.  

With the rise of listenership, the amount of advertising has also increased making online radio advertising nearly a 1 billion dollar industry annually.  Though nowhere near the size of terrestrial radio advertising, online radio ad space will continue to increase in value as more listeners tune in.  

We have seen in the past few years the effect the internet has had on print media.  The ability for consumers to attain information faster, cheaper, and even automatically has diminished the need for a hard copy paper in US households.  As a result, newspapers have cut their staff significantly, reduced news coverage overall, and continuously struggle to retain annual subscriptions.  In short, the internet has caused one of the most profitable businesses to crumble right in front of our eyes.  To combat the recent struggles, publications like the Wall Street Journal and The New York Times have adopted an online payment system to obtain dividends from print material online.  However, the general consumer has grown accustomed to getting their news for free, and in some cases, these pay-for-read schemes have backfired. 

This begs the question: With many bold predictions regarding digital media, combined with the recent changes to print media, what are the possible outcomes to the future of radio? 

To read the full eMarketing article, click here.